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Rise 'n Shine

As cooler weather takes its place in our lives, hearty breakfasts become something we crave. Rather than succumb to meals swimming in fats and calories, consider enjoying hot breakfasts that will fuel you for your day without sacrificing your waistline. This month, I offer Scottish Porridge ... a meal based on steel cut oats.

Steel cut oats are whole oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces. These pieces of oats take longer to cook than the other, precooked varieties, but they are worth it. The oatmeal is creamy and the oats are chewy. The texture is unlike any bowl of breakfast cereal you've ever had. You can buy steel cut oats at natural food stores or larger grocery stores.

This version is cooked on the stove and filled with fresh and dried fruit and nuts. It's an excellent source of fiber and will properly fill you up without leaving you feeling like a pile of stones! You can change the fruit and nut choices, although those listed are among my favorites.

As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments in the discussion board using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!

Heat the water and salt over high heat in a medium saucepan until boiling. Add the steel cut oats and stir to remove any lumps. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, add the dried cranberries, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, covered.

Add the bananas and stir to combine. Serve hot in bowl and sprinkle with almonds and drizzle with maple syrup.